"Hey, you should talk more." a young boy said. Sitting under a tree, he lightly threw a ball into the air. The girl, same age as the boy, who this was directed to, fidgeted with her fingers.

She hardly knew how to respond to his question. She could promise or nod her head, but would she actually be able to do it? The other children, who were gathered around the tree under the moonlight agreed with the boy.

"Yeah!" they said in unison. "We'd like to hear you talk more."

"I-I'll try." she finally muttered.

-----------------

"Hey." Carlyle calls out to me as soon as the man with the mask leaves. "The academy-"

"I understand." I say, interrupting him. "I'll monitor it for any suspicious activity."

Carlyle shakes his head, "No, that's not what I meant. The academy, I want you to stay out of it."

"What? Why? I go there." I say in a hushed voice. The others aren't very close but if I speak too loudly they'll hear me. "Doesn't it only make sense that I be the one to watch over the activities?"

"It does make sense, but only if you could actually handle it."

"What do you mean by that?" I say with a bit of an edge.

"I'm saying that you're too weak."

I clench my fists but I don't do anything. If I try to punch him, I'd be the one on the receiving end of damage. Even if I argue, what point is there? He'll do whatever he wants anyways, he's the leader, he's stronger than me. Still, I ask, "How am I weak?"

"Because you can't kill." he says bluntly. "Sure you killed Nack, but you refused to kill after that."

"And what's the matter with not killing anyone?" I ask, slightly agitated.

"You'll be the one who eventually ends up dead, or worse, you'll get someone killed." he stares me straight in the eye while saying this. "There are other points as well. Despite knowing how to fight, you were taken out when Henry and Anne needed you."

"Francis was taken out too!" I say. "And, anyways, I was able to get to Anne on time."

"On time for what? To save her from a stranger that saved her? Great! That's wonderful. Then you carried her oh so sweetly to safety while another member was in trouble."

"W-what?" I'm at a loss for words. Did he really think I took my time getting to Henry? "You think that I ignored Henry's call for help?"

"No." he says instantly. "I don't think that you did at all. But, just like your master said you would, you held back your stupid powers and that ended in someone dying. It's you're fault Henry died. All because you, were too selfish and worried about yourself to save another!"

Other members of the group were now turning their heads to catch glimpses of our display.

"So far, I've been doing my best to keep you away from dangerous missions, the only actual one with danger that I allowed you to participate in was the auction."

Does he really think that I need to be babysat by him? Does he really think that I didn't give it my all to try and save Henry and Anne? Does he really think that I cared about my well being over theirs at the time? My hands are starting to feel hot, I might be sending mana to them. Soon enough, an orange glow is visible from the corner of my eye.

He glares at me, unintimidated. Leaning close, he puts one hand on my shoulder and pulls me close. "You know. I'm not holding you here. I'm not forcing you to partake on these missions, and I've not forced you to kill anyone."

"You made me a member." I say. I want to punch him.

"Not officially, well, not until just now. I only announced you as one. So far, everything that you've done was your choice."

"Like I had any choice when you forced me to kill Nack." I retort. "Lots of choice there."

"I didn't follow you nor did I send anyone to do it. Do you know what actually happened to his body? Some guards found it and later identified him." Carlyle takes a breath. "Reinhard wanted me to watch over you, not make you join my group. He never explicitly told you to follow me that day, it was your choice. Your master, Reinhard, entrusted you to me, do you really think that I would've done anything too horrible to you?"

As I'm staring him in the eye, I'm not so sure.

"Everyday, every time you came, you made the deliberate choice to walk yourself all the way here. Once you did that, of course I'd give you missions that you couldn't deny, as soon as you step through that door, you're a member of the group, not an independent student of the academy." He pushes me back. "There's a problem with you, lots of problems. I'm sure that Reinhard's done this knowingly, he's not an idiot even though he might seem like one at times."

I've hardly ever had a choice.

"I won't deny that you probably felt like you were stuck in a situation where you had to come, as I did play my cards in that way. I lied to you about being a member but, have you ever, even once, thought about why you keep coming here?"

I had no answer for him.

"I thought so. Now, you are an official member, you'll have to listen to what I say now. Though, I will tell you, you can quit if that's your... choice." With a pat he says, "Welcome to the Twelve, Thirteenth."

I stand motionless as he walks away. He's right, I never once gave a thought to why I keep coming here. I never once thought about why I follow his missions he assigns. I can say that I was forced to, but he never held a knife to my throat nor did he ever threaten me. Was he just manipulating me, or was I just his lackey?

Eventually, Anne came over. Out loud she cast dispel. I guess she thought that Carlyle must've paralyzed me or something for me to stay in one place for so long.

"Are you alright? You don't seem to be under any influences."

I glance at the ground, refusing to look at her. "Hey Anne. Do you ever think about why you come here, to the warehouse, almost everyday?"

Her hair flies about as she shakes her head, "No, not really. It's a job, not much more. I needed the money so I made the choice, not much to think about. Yeah it's dangerous at times but I know what I'm getting myself into." She tilts her head. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Huh?" I say surprised. "No real reason."

"Uh huh. You okay? Did Carlyle say anything about Henry to you?" She says, her voice teeming with concern.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"No." I lie. "He just told me how I could improve, how I could grow. I'm really thinking on it, just like I would think about what my next meal is going to be."

"Is this supposed to be a joke?" she asks.

"Maybe. You could take it as one if you wanted to. Anyways, Anne, I'm leaving for the night." I throw my hand up in a weak attempt to say farewell.

"R-right." she says. "Have a safe trip."

Slowly, with little effort, like the undead, I make my way back to my dorm room. Life itself seems to have been completely drained from me. I can't see myself, but my guess would be, that if someone, anyone off the streets, if they saw me, they'd think of me as a ghostly apparition rather than a human.

Why did I stay with the Twelve? I wanted to become stronger, learn more magic, but I had school for that. I'd say that I'd felt forced by Carlyle to appear, but I didn't. The only time I felt like I was forced to do something was when he gave me those missions to kill. The first time, without any supervision, I killed, but the second time, with Henry and Hannah, I didn't.

Somewhere along the way, I might've not seen going to the warehouse as much of something I was forced to do anymore. Now, though, with someone missing, it feels like less of a place I want to be. Not that I'd ever really wanted to be there anyways.

I sigh and look up at the stars. Where are you?

Somehow, with my slow pace, I'm able to make it back to my room with no troubles. Again, I enter through the window. The room is freezing, and dark so I light the lantern by the nightstand. Better to sleep in I say. I walk over to the closet and start to undress.

Bored, and with what Carlyle said still stuck in my mind, I glance around the closet to try and occupy my attention. I spot something, two somethings. With the illumination from the lantern, two small, rectangular, objects are more than happy reflecting the light off of their slightly golden sheen.

I pick up the items to find tickets, the very ones that my master gave me the very first day of school. He wanted me to use these to go with a friend, girlfriend, skating. He probably meant it as a joke, but I see no reason to no put them to use. Maybe I should give them to someone for Dondan. Maybe Henry's sister and her husband would like to- ah no. Probably wouldn't make much sense for a pregnant woman to do something like this.

With little regard, I place them on top of the nightstand and fall into bed. Wrapping myself with the covers, my mind slowly drifts into darkness.

-------------------------

"New lesson before we head inside with the other classes. Unlike yesterday where we summarized much information, this requires a much more careful touch." Miss Ein announces. "Anyone care to guess what it is?"

A few students raise their hands but their answers are immediately dismissed.

"Incorrect." Miss Ein says for the tenth time. "We'll be learning about mixed magic."

Harneth raises her hand, "What's the difference between mixed magic and mixing spells?"

Clasping her hands together Miss nods, "Great question. Officially, mixed magic is classified as mixing any two elements, spell or not. But, it's true that some do not see spells as 'mixed magic' even if they are officially classified as such." she let her eyes roll across the room. "Seeing the faces you're all making, I assume that the latter is the far more popular opinion. There wasn't enough of a difference for the council to classify them as something else."

Nervously, I bump Elis on the elbow.

"Umu." she moans.

"Elis. Could you ask Miss Ein a question for me?" I whisper.

"Why?" she asks, her head resting on her hand.

"Uuuhh. J-just as a favor?"

She frowns but responds with, "Kay."

Leaning in closer, I cup my hands over her ears.

"Miss Ein!" Elis raises her hand.

"Yes Elis?"

"What's an Oddity?"

"Oh? Heard stories have you?"

Stories?

"Nope." Elis shakes her head. "El told me about them. She wanted me to ask you."

WAAAH! ELIS THIS ISN'T HOW IT WORKS! As eyes focus on me, I shrink down in my chair.

"Ah, well. I wouldn't be believing those tales."

"What do you mean by tales?" I muster the courage to ask. "Aren't they true?"

A few classmates chuckle.

"I do believe I know the book you've read. It's rather old, and the details are very story-like in their presentation. As it goes, no one, not the kingdoms in the stories or the villages, have ever confirmed there to ever be and oddity. Based on that, though the stories are highly intriguing, we have to put them as fiction."

"O-oh. I-I see." I say red faced. "T-thanks."

"No, thank you for asking a question. Moving back to the topic for today's lesson, mixed magic." She turns around and writes on the board.

'Scattered pieces, regather as one. Once we rebuild, a stone stronger than earth shall rise. Chains will forever bind the center of our remains. Throw away your sense of self, to combine, to form a more magnificent being. Together, while immobile, may our foes be forever entrapped.'

Nathan, a very religious student stands. "Miss Ein, that's a sealing spell." he says. "A very taboo one."

"Right." Miss Ein responds. "That's why it's purposely wrong and many pieces are missing. But, does anyone know what this has to do with the lesson at hand today?"

"It's mixed magic." a girl says.

"Mm. Tie this back into history, why would I show a forbidden spell, though unfinished, especially one of sealing?"

Iris's hand shoots into the air.  "Because the spell that the humans first used, was a sealing spell that took their lives. They used it in order to seal Malkuron. The Navack god."

"Thank you for explaining it for me Iris. It's not of much importance what spell was used, but it is a great example of how strong mixed magic is and a good tie in to history."

Miss Ein goes on to explain the intricacies of mixed magic.

At the end, she holds up her hand and stops the class from leaving. "Everyone, after a short break, when we come back to class, we'll be headed towards the gymnasium with the other students. As some of you might've already figured out, you will be combining your magic with that of your partner's."